Curry made one three-pointer before appearing to injure his right side while backpedalling after the shot. He spoke with coach Steve Kerr, headed to the locker room and was officially ruled out early in the second quarter. Kerr later said Curry had “tweaked something” in his abdominal area, an issue the guard told him he had never experienced before, and confirmed that Curry left the arena for an MRI.

The timing is concerning for Golden State. Curry entered the night averaging 30.6 points per game, and his gravity remains the foundation of the Warriors’ spacing. Without him, defenders no longer have to shade toward the perimeter at every possession, which makes driving lanes narrower, weak-side cuts less effective and late-game shot creation far more difficult.

Golden State still showed encouraging resilience. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg delivered 25 points and 10 rebounds, giving the Warriors a much-needed scoring presence while Curry watched from the locker room. His ability to attack closeouts, rebound aggressively and create secondary offence will matter even more if Curry misses multiple games.

But the Warriors’ problem is not simply replacing Curry’s production. It is replacing the way he warps a defence. Brandin Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton will need to handle more playmaking duties, while Jimmy Butler’s return, when it comes, could ease the burden as a secondary creator. Until then, Golden State must find ways to generate quality looks without its most feared shooter on the floor.

Houston, meanwhile, looked every bit like a Western Conference contender. Kevin Durant scored 20 points, while Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson added 19 apiece in a balanced victory that showcased the Rockets’ growing blend of veteran polish and young athleticism.

Durant remains the stabilising force in Houston’s attack. His mid-range scoring gives the Rockets a reliable answer when the game slows down, while his ability to operate from the elbow and wing prevents defences from overloading the paint. That balance was evident as Houston built a 35-20 lead after the first quarter and then held off Golden State’s attempts to climb back into the game.

Sengun continues to give the Rockets a different dimension. His passing from the high post and ability to punish mismatches inside make Houston’s half-court offence harder to predict, particularly when Durant draws attention on the perimeter. The pairing gives Houston both a traditional interior hub and an elite isolation scorer—two qualities that become increasingly valuable in playoff basketball.

Reed Sheppard also delivered a timely reminder of Houston’s young talent. After Golden State cut into the deficit, Thompson threw down an alley-oop before Sheppard connected on consecutive three-pointers to push the lead to 96-85 with under nine minutes remaining. Those shots did more than seal the result; they demonstrated why the Rockets can trust their younger players in high-pressure moments.

The game also carried a moment of controversy. Marcus Smart was ejected late in the third quarter after throwing a punch that appeared to graze Charles Bassey during a dead-ball confrontation. Officials reviewed the play and assessed a Flagrant 2, ending Smart’s night and adding another layer of physicality to an already tense rivalry.

For Houston, the win improved the Rockets to 9-3 and reinforced the idea that they are more than a talented young team. With Durant providing championship-level experience, Sengun offering elite playmaking from the frontcourt and Sheppard growing into a credible perimeter threat, the Rockets have the ingredients to compete deep into the Western Conference playoffs.

For Golden State, the immediate priority is Curry’s health. The Warriors’ eight-game run proved they can win in different ways, but their ceiling still depends on No. 30 being on the court. Until the MRI results provide clarity, Golden State’s promising start now carries an unavoidable sense of uncertainty.